In the announcement Tuesday, Gossett says the disease was caught early and he expects to make a full recovery.

The 73-year-old actor says he is going public about the disease because there is not enough emphasis in the African-American community on fighting it with preventive examinations and early treatment.

Gossett, who is black, has appeared in dozens of films. He won an Oscar for best supporting actor in 1983 for his portrayal of the no-nonsense Navy flight school sergeant who whips Richard Gere into shape in "An Officer and a Gentleman."

His memoir, "An Actor and a Gentleman," is scheduled to be published this year.